Things to do in Funchal old town

The Zona Velha is Funchal's original waterfront quarter, a grid of narrow lanes behind the marina where the Rua de Santa Maria has been painted door by door since the Arte Portas Abertas project began in 2010. By evening the street's terraces fill for espetada and bolo do caco, with a beer running roughly 2-3 euros and a full meal for two closer to 30-40 euros.

A five-minute walk away, the 1940 Art Deco Mercado dos Lavradores opens from around 7am to 7pm on weekdays and half-day on Saturdays; its upper fish hall is where the black scabbardfish, espada preta, hauled from Madeira's deep-water grounds, is laid out each morning.

Funchal's winter temperatures sit around 19-21°C, so the old town works as a destination year-round rather than a summer-only stop.